Be smart and healthy when filling the lunch box

Monday

Aug 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 31, 2009 at 8:22 AM

Years ago, parents would fill a lunch box with a peanut butter or bologna sandwich, an apple, chips and a cookie and not give the lunch another thought. But that has changed in the face of rising rates of childhood obesity, diabetes and allergies, and with concerns about the long-term health impact of fat and salt.

Jody Feinberg

Years ago, parents would fill a lunch box with a peanut butter or bologna sandwich, an apple, chips and a cookie and not give the lunch another thought. But that has changed in the face of rising rates of childhood obesity, diabetes and allergies, and with concerns about the long-term health impact of fat and salt.

“It takes a little more thought now,” said nutritionist Joan Endyke. “We know a lot more about nutrition today, and people are more concerned about it.”

A nutritious, calorie-moderate lunch becomes even more important because kids tend to be less physically active and more likely to eat fast food as snacks and meals, she said.

“When you look at school lunches, you should try to get back to basics and choose fresh over processed or packaged foods,” said Endyke, who usually packs lunch for her two middle school children.

In some ways, it’s both easier and harder to pack a healthy lunch these days. There are plenty of convenient and desirable choices, but there are also a multitude of ones to avoid.

“I know it can be hard, because parents are busy and looking for ease,” she said. “And foods have a lot more additives to make them appeal to children.”

But you also can find pre-packaged lunches high in fat and sodium and snacks that offer a short energy boost but have high calories and little nutritional value. Even healthy foods like yogurt – a good protein source for vegetarians – now are made to appeal to children with cookie and candy add-ins.

When children are thin and active, smart lunch choices are still important.

“The habits they’re developing are the ones they’ll most likely carry into adulthood,” Endyke said. “You don’t want them to get accustomed to the taste of high sodium and fat. And drinking soda and eating chips for lunch will catch up to them later as adults. It used to be that weight gain and coronary disease didn’t come on until the 40s, but now it’s the 20s.”

What children eat also can affect cognitive and athletic performance, since too much fat, sugar and carbohydrates can cause a yo-yo effect in attention and energy as the afternoon proceeds.

“What you put into your body makes a difference,” Endyke said. “I try to appeal to what my kids find important. I’ll say, ‘If you want your brain function to be at its peak and you want to be more accurate with your basketball shots, you need to eat well.”

If your teenager heads out the door without breakfast, then the lunch sack needs to do double duty. In that case, it should include something your child can eat quickly once at school or between classes, such as a nutrition bar with protein, a package of nuts, or a yogurt smoothie.

Choosing a drink also requires care. Juices, even those without added sugar, are high in sugar and calories. A better choice is low-fat milk, flavored water or a combination of juice and water.

“Juice is just extra calories,” Endyke said.

For her children, Endyke turns dinner leftovers of turkey meatballs or chicken parmesan into sandwiches. Or she makes a sandwich of lean meat or tuna on a whole grain bread or wrap and adds a piece of fruit or some carrots.

Whole grains are important because they have important nutrients, she said. Children often insist on white bread, but they may be willing to eat a wheat wrap or tortilla. There’s even a new kind of bread that looks white but actually is whole wheat, and there are breads with 50 percent whole grain.

As long as the lunch provides protein and nutrients from fruit or vegetables, then chips and small bags of crackers or cookies are all right, too.

“If you show moderation and your child can handle the calories, then something extra is fine,” Endyke said.

Since school lunch breaks can be crowded and feel rushed, the way the lunch is packed can make a difference. Slice the apple, peel the clementine, and pull the grapes off the vine.

“If you can make it easier to eat, they have more time to eat it,” she said.

Reach Patriot Ledger writer Jody Feinberg at jfeinberg@ledger.com.

A healthier school lunch

If your children buy the school lunch, you can advise them on choosing the most healthy offerings, but much of what they eat is beyond your control. However, several organizations are working to help school systems serve healthier lunches.

Two major efforts are The Healthy School Lunch Campaign, sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and The Lunch Box, sponsored by Whole Foods and Chef Ann Cooper.

There are often locally based initiatives, so check with your school district.

For more info, visit www.thelunchbox.org, www.healthyschoollunches.org, and www.meals4kids.org.

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